Angels closer Jordan Walden finishes off the Washington Nationals on June 30. PHOTO BY KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

FRIDAY

Angels right-hander Ervin Santana (4-8, 3.89) is scheduled to start against Mariners right-hander Blake Beavan (1-0, 1.29). Game time is 7:05 p.m. and it will be broadcast on FSW, KLAA/830 AM and KWKW/1330 AM in Spanish.

ANAHEIM --Jordan Walden is pretty good at protecting a lead — and keeping things to himself.

Just before doing a radio interview Thursday afternoon, the Angels' rookie closer learned he had been selected to the AL All-Star team. When the radio hosts did not bring it up, neither did Walden. It wasn't until after Walden's interview that the hosts learned of his selection — so they called him back and had him on a second time to talk about it.

That's a lot of talking for the laconic Walden.

"I was surprised. Very surprised — but very happy, though," Walden said of getting news of his All-Star selection. "My numbers aren't that good so I wasn't expecting to be an All-Star. It feels real good for people to vote for me. I especially did not expect to make it in my rookie season."

Walden's numbers are actually pretty good. He has converted 19 of 25 save opportunities with a 2.95 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 362/3 innings while holding opposing batters to a .212 average. The 19 saves are three short of the Angels' rookie record set in 1969 by Ken Tatum.

That was enough to impress his AL peers. Walden's All-Star selection comes as a replacement for Newyork Yankees closer Mariano Rivera who will miss the game because of a triceps injury. Since Rivera was selected to the team through the players' voting, his replacement had to be the next reliever available on that voting list. Walden received 67 player votes, fifth on the list of relievers.

"That guy's a great pitcher — even being mentioned in the same sentence with him (Rivera) is pretty awesome," Walden said. "You dream about going to the All-Star Game, about playing in it. I'm just excited."

Walden joins right-hander Jered Weaver and infielder Howie Kendrick as Angels selected to the team. Walden is the first Angels rookie to make the All-Star team since right-hander Jason Dickson in 1997 and only the sixth rookie chosen in club history.

ROTATION SITUATION

The Angels will get a four-day All-Star break this year thanks to the Oakland A's decision to open the second half of the season with four games in three days next weekend in Oakland.

The Angels and A's play a scheduled doubleheader (the first in major leagues since the 2001 season) on July 16. To compensate, the Angels will have the four-day All-Star break and another day off on the Monday after their series in Oakland.

That schedule gives the Angels options with their starting rotation. Jered Weaver is a frontrunner to start the All-Star Game in Phoenix on Tuesday and would then make his second-half debut in one of the doubleheader games on Saturday.

Rookie right-hander Tyler Chatwood, meanwhile, could get an even longer midseason break than the rest of the rotation. Chatwood went 51/3 innings against the Tigers on Wednesday and won't start again before the break. The Angels won't need a fifth starter after the break until their series with the Rangers begins on July 19 – a 12-day break if Chatwood makes that start.

"There are definitely some things we'll look at with some of our pitchers," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "There are some options we'll look at."

One of those options would be to use Chatwood out of the bullpen during that stretch. Another would be to send him to Triple-A to start Salt Lake's second-half opener on July 14 and then rejoin the Angels to pitch on the usual four days' rest against the Rangers.

But Scioscia has already said the Angels are going to watch the 21-year-old rookie's workload this season. He was given six days off between starts once last month. Giving Chatwood (who has already thrown 99 1/3 innings in his first major-league season) another extended break might be very appealing to the Angels.

FIGGINS SITS

The Mariners promoted prospect Kyle Seager after their game on Wednesday. Seager was a third-round pick in 2009 who hadn't played above Class-A until this season but quickly went from Double-A to Triple-A (for all of 12 games) before making his major-league debut at third base Thursday.

Former Angel Chone Figgins had already seen his playing time diminish with the promotion of second baseman Dustin Ackley last month. He was on the bench Thursday, furthering his slide in the second season of his four-year, $36 million contract with the Mariners. Figgins is hitting just .183 with a .231 on-base percentage and nine steals in 15 attempts this year. In a season-and-a-half with the Mariners, Figgins has batted .236 – after hitting .298 with a league-leading 101 walks in his final season with the Angels.

"I'm very surprised," Scioscia said. "Chone is a guy who did some special things for us during his days with the Angels. He's really struggled to bring that same focus, that same production to Seattle. Not to say it won't happen – but I'm very surprised he hasn't played at a high level because he still has the skills."

NOTES

Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 16 games Thursday, matching his career-best set in 2006. ... Bobby Abreu's RBI single in the third inning gave him 1,300 career RBI. That is seventh among active players. ... Reliever Fernando Rodney said he still has some discomfort in his upper back when he tries to throw. He has been on the DL since June 9 with an upper-back strain and is limited to playing catch right now.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.